Mrans for operating the sealing element of gate valves



March 1931. w. G. WILSON 1,797,490

MEANS FOR OPERATING THE SEALTNG ELEMENT OF GATE VALVES Filed Sept. 2'7, 1928 4 SheetsSheet l A TTORNE V75.

March 24, 1931. w. G. w|| soN 1,797,490

MEANS FOR OPERATING THE SEALING ELEMENT OF GATE VALVES Filed Sept. 27 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

March 1931- v w. (5. WILSON 1,797,490

MEANS FOR OPERATING THE SEALING ELEMENT OF GATETVALVES Filed Sept. 27, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 BY MW A TTORNE Y$.

March 24, 1931. WILSQN 1,797,490

MEANS FOR OPERATING THE SEALING ELEMENT OF GATE VALVES Filed Sept. 27, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 A TTORNE 2 ,2.

J struction the Patented Mar. 24,

I UNITED S E OFFICE.

wnn o. wnsos, or mass! crrr, new masimassmnoa r0 mams'mwe vanva comm, aooaromrron or naw eraser 1mg roa oranarn've m sumo ammunor can: vlmvns I Application flcptemberfltlflit- Ierial Io. 808,78. This invention relates to apparatuswhere in a power actuated driving element is utihzed to transmit powerto a driven. element in such manner as todrive the driven element 5 through a definite, predetermined distance.

in opposite directions and to positively. lock the driven element at both termini of its travel while allowing of suflicient overtravel' of the driving element to permit the'latter' 1 to expend or dissipate the momentum of itself and associated rime mover, without shock a or strain upon t e mechanism -such as would result from a sudden stopping of these parts.

The present inventionis useful for many purposes, but is'especially desirable for employment in connection with the operating mechanism of ate valves, such, for example,

as disclosed in atent No. 1,485,002, issued to me on February 26,1924, and on which conpresent invention constitutes an improvement.

In the o eration 01E a gate valve the sealing element 0 the valve .is moved into and out of registration with the valve port to close- 52 or open the valve. When the valve is closed.

it is of utmost importance that the sealing element be moved into exact registration with the port and thereupon brought to'rest' in this position. If it overtravels or under-' travels, it will fail to properly seal the port and if the overtravel 1s appreciable, its op crating art may strike againstthe casing with s cient force to damage the casing. or such operating parts of the valve. When the valve is opened, it is necessary tomovethe sealing element entirely away from the port and then bring it to rest before its operating parts strike the casing. It thus follows that in the operation of a gate valve there are two very definite positions at which the movement of the sealin element should terminate. In

other words, if the valve is to function prop erly and with full etficiency, its sealing element'must operate between .two well defined and predetermined termini of movement withoutundertravel or overtravel This has long been appreciated, and in order'to insure the stopping of the sealing element at these points, it has been the practice to provide stops or abutments so arranged j fore,

as to 'tively engage and arrest the o r sting liiiits of the valve when the sealing le mentfreaches such predetermined terminal positions. Gate valves, thus constructed, ave long been satisfactorily manuallyoperated through suitable operating handles or levers, and as manual operations are fairly elastic and yielding no appreciable difficulty has been experienced. There is, however, an ever increasing demand for the o ration of such valves, and particularly va ves of the larger sizes, through power produced reci rocating motion derived from hydraulic cy inders, electric motors andthe like. ,1.

The poweroperation of gate valves from power vproduced reciprocating motion presents various problems due tothe well recognized fact that it is-extremely diflicult, if not practically impossible, to operate power machines, such as electric motors and hydraulic cylinders, within definite limits, with a delivery of substantially maximum power up to one of such limits as required in gate valve operation wherein the maximum power reuired to operate the sealing element is at t e extreme endof the closing operation and during the initial movement of the opening operat on. The momentum or inertia of the operating parts cannot in practice he instantly issipated and any attempt to arrest their movement in an instantaneous manner results in shocks which m highlydetrimental to the construction and which may result in serious damage.

Attempts have been made to produce power operated gate -valve mechanisms by equipi'ping such mechanisms with stops or abut- 'ments, such as are used with the manually 0 rated valves, but experience has shown t at itis practically impossible to check the movements of valve operatin power mechanisms suddenly by means 0 damage to the parts of the mechanism.

' The primary object of this invention, thereis to eliminate the necessity of employing stops orabutments and to provide simple and eflicient mechanism whereby the sealing element of a ate valve ma be shifted from open to closed position an vice versa, with stops without serious shock and. the consequent eventual ,the present invention by utilizing only-a rnation of a driven element,e. g., the sea 'ng element of a valve, in opposite directions.

out accompanying shocksand without overtravel or undertravel. L The problempresented consists in the 0 er-' This problem is solved in accordance with tion of the stroke of the power-produce reciprocating motion to drive the driven element, and so associating the driving and driven elements that, during the intermediate driving portion of the-stroke, said elements 1 will be positively connected for the'trans.

.mission of power while, during the end portions of the stroke, the driving element will be susceptible to idle movement in the nature of overtravel, during which the inertia or momentum of the driving element and its prime mover may be dissipated without shock' to any of themechanism.

It is ofmarked practical importance that the driving and-driven elements. are shaped to have itive driving relation during said interme iate operating portion of the stroke of the former and for the driving element to positively lockthe driven element at its ter-v mini durin said idle travel of the driving element and during which time the inertia of the parts is dissipated. f

In one manner of racticallycarrying out the invention, thong not the exclusive one, the post of the valve to which the sealing element is secured, and by which it isoperated, may conveniently have 'aflixed thereto a toothed sector adapted to mesh with atoothed sector to which is secured anoperating arm driven from a suitable source of power such as an electric motor or hydraulic cylinder through a suitable connectingrod which imparts a rocking or reciprocating motion to the operating arm. The geared relation between the two 'sectors is such'that the com lete travel of one over the other will effect t e o ening or closing of the valve within exact imits,

' the teeth of the drivin sector moving out of mesh with respect tot e teeth of the driven sector when the sealing element is at each terminus of its travel, so that the sealing element may abruptly stop at such terminus whilethe driving sector is free to continue its movement to the endof the stroke in order to dissipate the inertia of its moving parts.

It is highly important that the interlocking relation exist between the driving and driven sectors at all times so that on the return stroke their teeth may properly mesh, and to insure of this the driven sectoris provided at its opposite ends with concave aporconcave portion of the driven sector as soon as the teeth of the two sectors move out of mesh. As a result, the driven sector is locked in stationary osition at both termini of its travel while t e driving sector is ov'ertravelin" as specified. it therefore follows that these elements areat all times susce tible to v wer-transmitting coo eration an when t e rime mover is cause to function, there wi l invariablyresult the application of force to the valve to open or c ose the same as the case may be, with a positive lockingof the valve at the completion of each operation.-

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawin s.

The rawings' illustrate different practical embodiments of the invention, but the constructions therein shown are to be understood as illustrative, only, and not'as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a valve, the operating mechanism being illustrated at substantially the middle of its stroke.

Figures 2 and 3 are views similar to Figure e stroke.

Figure 3. r

- Figures 5 and 5 areelevations showing opcrating means embodying a modified form of construction, these viewssillnstrating such operating means at the opposite termini of their stroke.

Figure 7 is an edge view looking from the right of Figure 5.

Fgnre'8 shows the mechanism of Figures 4 and 5 with the operating means substan- Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a" valve body provided interiorly with a sealing element (not shown) and which sealing element is in practice secured to and operated by a valve shaft 2. Rotation of the shaft 2 in one direction or other serves to ,move

the sealing element into or out of registration with the port 3 of the valve body for 1, but'showing the operating mechanism at a theoppositeends of t Figure 4 is an edge view of the apparatus with the parts in the position illustrated in the purpose of closing or opening the valve as may be desired. This structure is conventional and is illustrated merely to show a practical application of the present invention,

- ing of the be moved out of sealing stated, may be employe ment.

It should be borne in mind, however,=that with this ty of valve, it is desiredto move the sealing e ement from an accurately placed open position to an accurately placed closed position, and vice versa; In other words,-during the closing movement of the valve, the sealing element mustbe movedzinto a positionto register withthe portandmust stop in this position while during-theopenvalve, the sealing element must registration with the .gport and stopped in this position. .Theseopen and closed positions which it is desired the ferred to as the termimof movementofthe sealing element.

In car ing out the present invention, as

illustrate in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive,1I1.fix upon the shaft 2 a sector 4 provided with teeth 5 which teeth are ada te to mesh with teeth 6 carried by a sector mounted for oscillating movement u on a fixed stud 8 supported on the valve igure 4.

Rigid with the sector 7 is an operating arm 9 to the free end of which issecured agconnecting rod 10 to which reciprocating movement is imparted from any suitable .prime' mover such as a hydrauliccylinder, electric motor or the like. Through the operations of such power prime mover, reci rocation is imparted-to the connecting ro. .lO-with the result that the operatingarm9 is recipmcated or oscillated about thestud Band in so doing serves to oscillate'the sector 7 and T the cooperating sector 4, while the teeth "'6 and 5 of the respective sectors are in mesh with one another.

In practically carrying'out the present; invention, it is found desirable to emplo prime mover, the throw or stroke of-w ic is of greater amplitude than is required to move the sector 4 through thearc necessary .to bring about the movement of the sealing element between its respective termini and the teeth of the two sectors are therefore of such number and size as to engage with one "another only during that portion of the stroke of the prime moveras 1s necessary'to-eflectthe movement of the sealing element from o n to closed position and vicek versa. :It tlifrefore follows that as the operating arm is moved from one end of its stroke'to the other, the teeth 5 and 6 will only mesh during an intermediate ortion of the stroke, there being portions of the stroke at its beginning and at its end during which the teeth 6 pass out of mesh with respect to the teeth 5. While it is desirable that this be the case,it is also essential that somemeans he provided for interlocking the sectors while the teeth are out of mesh so that when the time comesfor dy as shown best in .-.connectmg-rod'10;moves to the left in Figure ;2,fthere will be a-period atthelbeginning of .them to -re-ei1gage, they will be in such rela tive positions as tocoo rate.

Inorder to accomplish this result, the oposite ends of the sector 4 are provided with anges lland "12-having curved faces 13 and 1.14, .while. the. sector? is provided witha flange 15 having-a=curved or circular periphery .16, ithe-gradiusof which is equal to the radius of the sector 7. .Thesurfaces .13and 14 of the 'llan'd 12am alsocurved on-substantiallyithesame radius, and, accordingly, these surfaces are adapted to cooperate with the 1-surface16 astheteethfi pass. out of mesh with respect to the teeth 5,-whereby sector .4 is

locked 'in its terminal sitions while the olperatingarmis-suscepti le toovertravelto element should occupy, maysbe .reit e ifull.extentoithe throw ofthe connecting rod 10.-- These operations will'be clearly. appagent from an inspection of Figures 1, 2 an 3..;m. i

In Figure2, ith'e connecting rod is shown 'at one-end of its stroke. 1 nathis position, the curved-surfaceilet'is locked-by the-curved surface -.1'6,"and"the teeth 6 are-out of mesh with ;.theteeth .5. The sealing element is in this position at one of its termini. Now if the he strokeduxing which :the sector '7 will .have ..idle--travel,.at the conclusion of which the teetli fi .will engage with the'teeth 15:: and the sector 4 will thereupon be :driven to and pasttheicentralposition of 'Figure land into a position wherein :the sealing element will have reachedthe otherterminusof its travel.

Theteeth 6 will thereupon immediately dis- Lcoact 'withthe curved surface 13 until e connecting rod has reached the end of its stroke as shown in Figure 3.

.lItthereforefollows that the sector 7 which engagethe teethfi and the :curved surface 16 Y; t

. constitutes the-driving element :of :the Y struca ,turewill positively mesh and drivethe driven element iiduring an intermediate portion of .thegstrokeof the [former while leavin the elements interlocked when the teeth isenlgage to'insureaccurate reenga ement of the teethuponthe-returnstroke. emeshingof :theteeth. 6;andr5 takes place only during the intermediate portion of the stroke during which the operating .arm -9 is operate smoothly. and with the v-,.3:reater portionof its power-and :the teeth are disengaged during -the terminalportionsofthe stroke-at which times it;is least capable-of applying power and most apttoproduce shocks due tosudden stopping or. starting of the :operating parts.

Itisto be noted that withthis arran ement a prime 'movermay'be employed with a relatively indeterminate trave1,-'for onl an in ermediate portionofthe travel is utihzed. Durin 'the beginning ofthe-stroke, it operates i lylto accelerate-smoothly and at the end of the strokev to dissi ateitsinertia and change direction. Mani estly, these opera I tions occur irrespective of the'direction efmovement of the connectin rod, and, aceordingly, the valve maybe closed with eqllllal facility. Y

Moreover,'t

th' opened and eration of the prime mover in exact-positions is of no moment. The resentinvention provides for considerable exibility m 'thesto ping andstarting of therime mover, e

arrangement beingsuch 't at'theparts are always in cooperative interlocked relation torender the sealing element ofthe valve re-y siponsive to the operations of the prime mover uring the intermediate portion'of the-stroke of the operating arm 9 as hereinbefore stated.

' In the construction which I have specifically described, the driving and drivenelements are in the form of sectors. I wish it understood, however, that these connections may vary withoutde arting from the spirit 7 of this invention, an while itis'notfeasible to show all the .diiierent dri connections that might be employed,-'I have illustrated in Figures 5 me another embodimentofthe presentinvention. In these latterfigures, the valve shaft 2 is provided with a sector-4a corresponding to the sector. ifand provided at its opposite ends with'flangeshaving-flat faces 13a-and .14a which correspond: intheir functions tothe curved-faces 13' audit; The driving element "insteadoibeing-lin the form of a sector-7 embodies a rack 76 avingteeth 6a adapted to mesh withzthe teeth 50. The

rack is mounted for reci rocating' movement 7 to 4, the sector 7 01188 an oscillatory motion. In the foregoing detailed description of. the invention, the-underl. ing princi le will be apparent There is in 0th casest e oper ation of a driven element from a ower operated driving element and which e ements are in direct and positive cooperation at all times so that movement or non-movement of the driven element is always-and absolutely" controlled by. the driving The forms of the invention which: I have e ement. chosen to describe areillustrative, and the invention is to beunderstood as fully commensurate with the appended claims.

Havin thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

e arrangement is such that the operation of the-valve is absolutely reliable and the inabilityto commence or stop'the opopposite directions, w greater amplitude than is required to operate the sealing member, a driven element secured-to the sealing member to operate the ;-latter, means for positively connecting the an 1nter-' e driving driving the respective elements to slidably en with one another when the teeth are drsen seat having a port,'a sealing member adapted "'1. In a power'driven gate valve, a valve to cooperate with said seat and means to "move said sealing member into and out of registration with said port, and to stop the same inexact predetermined itions with out undertravel or vovertrav comprising a power operated drivin element-movable in and driven elements durin mediate rtion of the travel of th element in each direction, and to release the driven element when the. se member reaches either'of. said predetermined positions, and complementarylocking portions movable with thmrespective elements and;

shaped to slidably engage with one another when'the sealin member. reaches either of said predetermined positions. to lock said I driven element against further movement,

while thefldri'ving element com letes its so inove'ment .in'the corresponding irections,

- and tomaintain such driven element in position to,-register with and be re-engaged by the positively connecting means of the driving element for the intermediate operating ch movement is of portion of the return movement of the latter;

. 2. In a power driven gate valve, a valve to cooperate with said seat,'and means to move said sealing member into and out of seatlhaving a port, a sealing member adapted registration with said port and to stop the same-inexact predetermined ositions without undertravel or overtrave comprising a power operated driving element movable in opposite directions, which movement is of greater amplitude than isrequired to o ri ate the seahng member, a driven elemen secured to the sealingl member to operate the latter teeth on hot of said elements positioned to mesh during an intermediate portion of the travel of the drivin element in each direction to 0 rate the driven element while the teeth are in mesh, and to disengage when the sealing member has reached either of said predetermined positions to permit continued travel of the driving element in .the same direction, andcomplementary rela- 'tively slidablelocking surfaces movable with g {gs ed in either direction to maintain and 0c the teeth of the driven element in position to registerwith and be re-engaged'by .the teeth of the driving element during the respective return movement of the latter.

3. In a po wer'driven ate valve, avalve seat having a port, a sealing member adapt- 'ed to cooperate with said seat, and means to move said sealing member into and out of registration with said port and to stop the same in exact predetermined positions without undertravel or overtravel, driving and driven mutilated toothed elements, the driving element of which is power operated and is movable in opposite directions, which movement is of greater amplitude than is required to operate the sealing member, and the driven element of which is secured to the sealing member, the teeth on said elements m being so disposed that they will mesh only during the intermediate portion of the travel of the driven element necessary to drive the sealing member from one of its predetermined positions to the other, and vice versa, and smooth locking surfaces movable with said elements and positioned to slidably engage with one another when the teeth disenga e, and vice versa, to lock the sealing mem er in each of said positions while the teeth are disengaged and to insure accurate re istration and re-engagement of the teeth. gigned by me at Jersey City, N. J., this 21st day of September, 1928.

WYLIE G. WILSON. 

